Singapore, 28 February 2014 – Gerald Tan is scheduled to kick-off his 2014 season in the 12H of Mugello in Florence Italy. The 12H of Mugello is a new event added to the calendar and will be a great chance for European teams to prepare for the start of the racing season. Organisers are expecting a packed field of International Teams and Drivers. Singaporean Gerald has regularly become the sole representative of the national flag at these prestigious endurance events.

Following his podium success in the 24H of Barcelona in a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S, top Italian team GDL Racing contracted Gerald for the 2014 season. GDL Racing will be fielding a strong line-up of cars and drivers for the Italian race as it is set in their home ground. Gerald will be racing in a Mercedes SLS GT3, his first time in a full specification GT3 car.

GDL Racing Team Principal Gianluca De Lorenzi mentioned, “Gerald has shown great potential in his performance at the 24H of Barcelona and our team is very happy with his speed and consistency. He got up to within 1 second of our regular team driver and his ability to drive 2 hour error free stints in the Porsche at speed was very impressive. We are looking forward to have Gerald be the Asian representative for Team GDL Racing. We are also very confident of Gerald’s ability to bring our SLS to podium glory again in our home race, the 12H of Italy-Mugello.”

Gerald is an experienced endurance racer with several 24H races like the 24H of Dubai, Silverstone and Barcelona under his belt including multiple appearances at the 12H of Sepang. Besides endurance races, he races regularly in the Malaysian Super Series with Team LTM-9tro in the Touring Production Category.

“I am ecstatic to be driving in the SLS GT3! I have always dreamt of racing in a GT3 car and my opportunity has finally come! I am very happy that GDL Racing has given me this opportunity again to race with the team. The team is a proper works team and I had a great time in Barcelona. I am eagerly anticipating my first taste of the SLS GT! But as always, we have to be focused and stay in the moment. I hope to bring glory for Singapore on European soil again!” said Gerald.

Teams and drivers will gather at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in the rolling hills of Tuscany in Italy for the next round of this year’s 24H SERIES powered by Dunlop: the inaugural Dunlop 12H ITALY-MUGELLO, to be held on March 14 and 15. There are already over 50 teams registered to participate in this endurance race for GTs, touring cars and 24H Specials.

This year, the ‘Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello’ is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a permanent circuit, but, of course, racing heritage in Tuscany goes back much longer. The first roadraces already were held there in the 1920s. The current Mugello circuit, well-known as the venue for the annual Italian round of the MotoGP series, is a state-of-the-art facility with plenty of undulation, numerous opportunities for overtaking and challenging corners. The beautiful landscape of Tuscany serves as a breath-taking backdrop.